What's in a name? |
Matt turned the page and closed the dusty tome. He stretched his legs and purred when the heat fondled his feet. He raised to sit on the padded armchair in front of the fireplace and stared into the fire. The flames danced in rhythm of ancient runes, and Matt shook his head to ward off the uneasy feeling. "It's just a legend..." His head snapped, and he jumped out of the chair. "Whiskers, you damn cat!" Matt lunged and tried to grab his cat's tail, forgetting the danger of the fire. To Matt's annoyance, Whiskers evaded with feline grace and arched into the fireplace. Matt fell and grabbed the metal bar lining the chimney to avoid contact with the wall. Heat engulfed him, and he released the bar in horror. He looked at his hands, and his mouth formed a silent "o". They sported only a few scratches but no burns Incredulous, Matt pulled at the metal bar and heard a soft click. "This old tower might hold a mystery or two after all" he muttered. Click after click, the floor went to the left, and the fireplace moved to the right. Matt lost his balance and his head hit the table as he fell. Dizzy, he opened his eyes as Whiskers licked his hair and purred in contentment. Matt groaned at the splitting headache and felt gingerly for the bump on his head then tried to remember why the book was on his desk. Recollection washed over him, and he searched for the last page. "Shit!" He could swear there was one more page. The one with the legend about the name of the dragon inscribed on the last page of the Codex of Ages. The dragon couldn't be free unless he took his name back. |